UCLA defeats Kansas State, 23-9, to remain undefeated

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There’s an unbeaten college football team in town and it’s ... UCLA? The Bruins ran their nonconference record to 3-0 tonight, defeating Kansas State, 23-9, at the Rose Bowl.

Redshirt freshman Johnathan Franklin gave UCLA got its first 100-yard rushing effort in 12 games, going for 115 yards and a touchdown in 26 carries. The Bruins also got a solid effort from much-maligned senior quarterback Kevin Craft, who in taking his first snaps of the season completed 13 of 24 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Craft’s 51-yard scoring strike to Terrence Austin with 6 minutes 18 seconds left in the game gave the Bruins some breathing room.

UCLA overcame nine penalties. Kai Forbath kicked field goals of 39, 35 and 40 yards.

The UCLA defense was typically stingy, holding Kansas State runners to an average of 1.8 yards in 37 carries. The Bruins also had two interceptions by cornerback Alterraun Verner.

Kansas State fell to 1-2.

UCLA 23, Kansas State 9

Kevin Craft hit a streaking Terrence Austin in stride for a 51-yard touchdown pass with about six and a half minutes left in the game.

Craft has completed 13 of 24 passes for a 184 yards.

-- Mike Hiserman

UCLA 16, Kansas State 9

Kai Forbath’s third field goal of the game, this one from 40 yards, has given UCLA a 16-9 lead over Kansas State with 9:55 left in the game.

UCLA went 54 yards in 10 plays. Quarterback Kevin Craft had a 21-yard completion to Nelson Rosario.

UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin has rushed for 111 yards in 21 carries, becoming the first Bruin in 12 games to pass the 100-yard mark.

UCLA 13, Kansas State 9

Josh Cherry missed a 40-yard field goal for Kansas State with 14:43 left in the fourth quarter.

UCLA’s offense has picked up just one first down in three possessions of the second half. Quarterback Kevin Craft has been ineffective, completing eight of 19 passes for 92 yards.

UCLA 13, Kansas State 9 Daniel Thomas’ seven-yard touchdown run with 5:14 left in the third quarter has pulled Kansas State to within 13-9 of UCLA.

The Wildcats failed on the conversion with an incomplete pass. Thomas was the key player on the 80-yard, 14-play drive, breaking off runs of 11 and 12 yards while getting a direct snap out of shotgun formation.

He picked up a first down on fourth and one from the UCLA 20 and also caught an 18-yard shovel pass.

UCLA’s offense has sputtered on two second-half possessions, picking up one first down.

UCLA 13, Kansas State 3 (halftime)

UCLA rushed for 128 yards in the first half, led by Johnathan Franklin, who has gained 72 yards in 11 carries.

Quarterback Kevin Craft has completed six of 12 passes for 76 yards with one interception. Kansas State quarterback Carson Coffman has completed nine of 15 passes for 98 yards.

-- Eric Sondheimer

UCLA 13, Kansas State 3

UCLA’s Kai Forbath kicked his second field goal of the game, this one from 35 yards, with five minutes left in the second quarter to put the Bruins on top, 13-3.

The eight-play, 42-yard drive featured runs of 10 and 13 yards by running back Derrick Coleman and a 12-yard reception by tight end Ryan Moya from quarterback Kevin Craft.

UCLA 10, Kansas State 3

Kai Forbath kicked a 39-yard field goal on the second play of the second quarter.

Johnathan Franklin rushed for 58 yards in three plays. It was a 27-yard, six-play drive hampered by penalties.

-- Eric Sondheimer

UCLA 7, Kansas State 3

Kansas State quarterback Carson Coffman slipped a shovel pass to running back Daniel Thomas, who reeled off a 35-yard run to get the Wildcats deep into UCLA territory. The drive stalled at the nine and Josh Cherry kicked a 26-yard field goal. UCLA leads, 7-3, with 2 minutes 3 seconds left in the second quarter.

Kansas State moved the ball to UCLA 37, where it had a second and six. Then the UCLA defense showed up.

UCLA 7, Kansas State 0

Akeem Ayers sacked quarterback Carson Coffman for an eight-yard loss. On third down, Brian Price chased Coffman to the sideline, forcing him to throw a pass that was intercepted by UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner.

The Bruins then went 64 yards in 11 plays, Johnathan Franklin going three yards for the touchdown. Quarterback Kevin Craft, starting in place of injured Kevin Prince, had his first pass batted down at the line, bringing some groans from the crowd.

But he completed two of three passes on the drive, including a 16-yard pass to Nelson Rosario on a third-and-10 play. Franklin gained 22 yards in five carries.